Two Human Feet

I enjoyed the humour in this shot of someone crossing a field with purpose. The boots are far too clean for a walker (of my stature, anyway) and I’m unsure of their proportion when compared to the stubble. I have no problem with compositions, however, especially of this quality. Considerable talent has been displayed in the application of mist and shading to blend the different components together. This has taken significant time to consider, locate suitable subjects, and combine them together, to say nothing of the time required to acquire the skills to do so. I recognise the soles from a later submission into the contest (- was this the only pair available?-) but the absence of ‘trade-mark’ birds in the sky meant that I did not feel that the author had deliberately made themselves identifiable.

I’d like to thank everyone who submitted an entry for this contest. I chose this subject with the idea that that a couple of feet (and I’m not referring to 24” here) should be something that’s not too difficult to find under present circumstances and contributions should not need to be dredged from ancient archives. There was a wide and varied spectrum of entries of good quality and interesting perspective which didn’t make my task of judgment very easy. Nevertheless, it did not detract from the enjoyment of looking through the many submissions received. Naked feet are not always the most photogenic of subjects yet this contest has brought out some stunning shots, from elegant and attractive to detailed and fascinating. Similarly, the range of footwear varied from eye-catchingly exotic to curiously well-worn. Contributions demonstrated exstensive ability with a few entries indicating greater photographic skills than those of mathematics! I have been picky in my final selection, avoiding those that included visible signatures and trying to give credit where originality was displayed in meeting the brief.

I was won-over by this a dreamy shot of new born feet. The idea is far from original but the execution is absolutely perfect! The focus on these tiny feet is crisp and emphasises the subject by fading the background into a blissful bokeh. The soft focus on the caressing hand emphasises the delicate tenderness being afforded a recent addition. These feet will not remain like this for long, however, so it is valuable to have captured them at this early stage. I wonder what they look like and are doing now…

An image that is different is always interesting and one that is colourful even more so. This one appears to be a chance capture of an artist’s footwear. It is well composed and fascinating to study. What a shame that it was not taken in their studio environment but maybe the shoes would have become too camouflaged to be clearly visible there?

An image clearly of feet or, in this case, footwear. The fantastic colour and shine of these boots is captivating. It would have been too easy to simply have both feet on the ground and facing forward but the model has been asked to lift their left foot up, as if to be walking, and in a way that catches the light. The photographer has created a striking image, worthy of any advertising campaign. I fear that they may not be as comfortable as they are good-looking, however, and a bit of wear would soon take the shine off them. Fashion is about form rather than function, after all…

These feet (and their footwear) have seen much of life and the viewer is led to consider what those experiences might have been. A good image must first catch the eye and then entertain the viewer’s imagination. This image has succeeded to do both. Congratulations on making my top ten!

Clearly, the addition of fancy ribbons is what makes this shot, and the title has emphasised that. Without colourful ribbons we would simply have a pair of unassuming pumps (or do we call them ‘trainers’, these days?). The casual pose adds interest and the lighting is brilliant (excuse the pun). The darker background concentrates focus on the subject: Human Feet, which is what this contest was all about.

This striking image cannot fail to be noticed. For me, it’s a wasted opportunity not to add value to a photo by giving it a title and this is a worthy candidate for something humorous. Having taken time to capture and prepare the image, I feel that a little more effort could have raised its entertainment value even higher. I know that some consider that a good image should “speak for itself” but even a simple caption should not detract from the picture and may add value for those who trouble to read it. At first glance, it seems that the boots are dissimilar, but they’re not: Only the laces differ and one is also frayed. It’s when you stop to look closer that one notices such things (a missing aglet). This is a well-proportioned shot, that was different and met the brief spot on. It gains a commendation, in spite of an absent title.

Here is a shot with a difference. Not only do the contrasting colours catch the eye, but the cunning composition provides originality and interest. It would have been easy to shoot just shoes, or socked feet, but this composition manages both. As an added bonus, we also get a portion of naked toe. Tremendous (now tell us this was a self-portrait)!

To be strict about this image I was tempted to discount it because I specifically asked for only two feet and there are others in the distance. Indeed, my attention had been on the foreground so much that it was not until later that I noticed such oversight. However, the image is so relaxing and the focus clearly on just the foreground that it would be churlish to ignore the intention and quality of this shot.

I asked for “just two feet” and this is exactly what this image provides. The tiny feet are the only part in focus so that the viewer is not distracted by any of the background. Furthermore, by not including the popular trend to include a pair of parental hands, it demonstrates that less can be much more, as you are invited to study something that you may not have done before. I would not have expected such young feet to have so many wrinkles. Do they disappear as they are ‘grown into’ and I wonder how will they change with time? An image that causes the viewer to study it is a good one and I have studied this one in some detail…

It wasn’t until after I’d read the title, and looked again, that I realised that the shape under the chair was supposed to be a mouse hole with a pair of eyes peering out from within. I appreciate a bit of humour, as life can be far too serious without it, and hence my selection for a commendation. I would have spent a bit more time on that mouse hole, possibly by adding some gnaw-marks around the edges of a less-than-perfect arch (- even with a hint of “mouse furniture” within?-). If not that, possibly to have added a nose or some whiskers to complement those huge eyes and give more credibility to the crisis being portrayed. I know I’m becoming greedy now, but that’s what happens once my imagination has been aroused! This made me smile, and we could all do with a bit of cheering-up, so thank you for entering this.

Carpe diem. These early days soon pass. Such beautiful footwear, only to be out-grown rather than worn-out! Plumb centre and crisply captured, there’s little to fault. I imagine a tiny tot standing in them with a very proud smile – what a shame that I only asked for feet. Well done, though. These feet captured my heart and gained a commendation!

They say that the best camera is simply the one you have with you at the time but, even then, you still need to be ready to capture the unexpected. Here is an un-posed documentary image that will provide fond memories of a special occasion for family members. I might have cropped it more for this contest but it remains a joyous record of a moment in time.

I expect this shot may do well in crowd rating because it is so eye-catching and clever. I dislike, however, the inclusion of the significant trademark at the bottom of the shot. You can be justifiably proud of this work because it is good and original but my belief is that images submitted to these contests ought to be anonymous. I feel that the aspect would have been improved by a more ‘letter-box’ ratio and that the 3x2 format was retained for the sake of a bit of advertising. Thank you for sharing it, however, it will provide inspiration for those who appreciate it.